En route to his Stage 18 win, Nibali, who now leads the Tour by more than seven minutes, got intimate with a fan who apparently did not realize that she was in the road with her back turned as the tour leader was approaching. A quick brush of the elbow and a swerve around, and Nibali was back on track. There was no word on the fan's cell phone, which was sent bouncing off the pavement.

Cycling is a sport that seems to, if not encourage, then at least turn a blind eye to its special brand of idiot on the field. But if its best riders in its premier race continue to be impeded by its fans, it's only a matter of time before the barricades go up and the tour goes off limits.